During my visit to The Holy Island of Lindisfarne last year, I sat on the shore by the Lindisfarne Causeway and watched the tide come in and cover the road. Here are my insights – and a few images – from that experience. Sitting at the end of the causeway and watching the tide comeContinue reading “What the Tide at Lindisfarne Has To Teach a Creative Writer”
Category Archives: life
Staying Focused as a Writer: Learning From Leo Tolstoy
Leo Tolstoy, the author of the novel widely regarded as one of the world’s greatest, War and Peace, not only crafted characters we love and care about – Pierre, Natasha, Anna Karenina, and many others – but was also fond of sideways excursions into his theory of history during the course of a novel. SoContinue reading “Staying Focused as a Writer: Learning From Leo Tolstoy”
The Gatiss/Moffatt Post-StoryTelling World of Sherlock
We’re familiar with the phrase postmodern and more recently with the notion of post-truth. But now I think, for writers, it is true that there is a post-storytelling phenomenon – which moves beyond and over-turns current rules. And it’s illustrated in the scripts that Steven Moffatt and Mark Gatiss create for their TV drama seriesContinue reading “The Gatiss/Moffatt Post-StoryTelling World of Sherlock”
Dark TV Drama for Christmas 2016 and New Year 2017
This year darkness seems to be the keyword for some of our best drama offerings on TV: from Agatha Christie: The Witness for the Prosecution: through Jonathan Creek: Daemons’ Roost; Sherlock in The Six Thatchers. and the Bronte Family in To Walk Invisible. In Sherlock we discovered that Death had an appointment – with Mary WatsonContinue reading “Dark TV Drama for Christmas 2016 and New Year 2017”
Boxing Day Entertainment by the Kenilworth Lions at Kenilworth Castle and Abbey Fields
The English love to do fun – and some might even think silly – things on Boxing Day. Perhaps this is a relief from all the stress of preparing for Christmas. It’s also the opportunity for people to gather together in the fresh air and enjoy themselves with traditional English entertainments. Here are a fewContinue reading “Boxing Day Entertainment by the Kenilworth Lions at Kenilworth Castle and Abbey Fields”
Garden of Significant Inspiration and Curious A-MUSE-ments at Shakespeare’s New Place in Stratford-upon-Avon
O for a muse of fire that would ascend the brightest heaven of invention. So wrote William Shakespeare in the Prologue to Henry V – and a few days ago we were in the garden at New Place, Stratford-upon-Avon, site of Shakespeare’s former family home – infusing marbles with the power of that same muse.Continue reading “Garden of Significant Inspiration and Curious A-MUSE-ments at Shakespeare’s New Place in Stratford-upon-Avon”
New Puppeteers at the Children’s Christmas Party at St Mark’s Church Leamington Spa
On the third Sunday of Advent, I became, along with two others – Jamie and Sidney – a new puppeteer. That morning, after the Nativity Service led by St Mark’s Church Beaver colony, the children poured into the hall for their Christmas Party – and the centrepiece of the party was a puppet show. To theContinue reading “New Puppeteers at the Children’s Christmas Party at St Mark’s Church Leamington Spa”
Lovely Atmosphere at King Edward VI School Christmas Fair Book Signing
at I enjoyed selling and promoting signed copies of my two thriller suspense novels Mystical Circles and A Passionate Spirit and meeting readers at King Edward VI School Christmas Fair, Stratford-upon-Avon last Saturday. A pianist and choir entertained us with carols, the prefects carried our bags from the car and brought us tea and coffeeContinue reading “Lovely Atmosphere at King Edward VI School Christmas Fair Book Signing”
A Passionate Spirit and The Cult That Stole Children
A couple of years after I left university, whilst on a spiritual search, I went to a lecture at the Royal Overseas League in London, met, chatted to and became captivated by an inspirational speaker: a Physics professor who wrote spiritual books. His name was Dr Raynor Johnson. Subsequently I read and loved all his books,Continue reading “A Passionate Spirit and The Cult That Stole Children”
A Poet’s View of Life – Shakespeare, the Jesuit Priest and the ex-Archbishop
What did Shakespeare believe? He lived and created his work during a period of religious turmoil; and scholars are left to guess at his true spiritual worldview, despite his association with Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon, and the fact that he was baptized and buried there. And so it was appropriate that Holy Trinity Church, theContinue reading “A Poet’s View of Life – Shakespeare, the Jesuit Priest and the ex-Archbishop”
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